The good... and the bad.

Hey, I'm still walking on air, where Costco is concerned!

See, when we were at the grand opening of Costco on the 17th of August, I bought a very large, very good looking "beef rib-eye roast", which was around the $40. mark.

(Well worth it, in my opinion, because of the size and quality of the meat)

At the register, we got $4.00 off, which brought it down to $36 - and I was quite happy.

But in yesterdays mail, I got a letter of apology from Patrick Noone from Costco, saying:

"Due to a system error, our records indicate that on the 17th of August, you were incorrectly charged at the register for your purchase of Kirkland Signature'Beef Rib Eye Bone-in Roast. (item # 11907)'
Your refund for the amount overcharged, plus an additional $5 is enclosed.
Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused"... yada yada yada...

So I figured the check would be for 5 or 6 dollars or something... ya know? But when I checked the envelope, there was a check enclosed for $12.13!

Actually hand written, and hand signed by Partrick Noone (Managing Director, Costco Wholesale Australia Pty Ltd) himself.

I'm impressed as hell.. and happy as a clam, for a number of reasons - the main one being that I haven't experienced customer service like this is 14 years!
How sad is that?

In the past, I've taken strawberries back to Safeway, after discovering that the bottom ones were moldy...
I've gone back to the store within 30 minutes of purchasing them...literally leaving the rest of the groceries on the table, only to be told by a "I've got a bad attitude because my husband left me for someone much nicer than me" check-out chick, that they weren't that way when they left the store.

So I asked for the manager.
And the manager told me that she was sorry, but it was my responsibility to check them before purchasing them - not theirs!
She even questioned if these were the same strawberries that were on my receipt, basically accusing me of bringing back old strawberries now that I had new ones.

I walked out of that store with no refund, and no exchange... just a bad taste in my mouth from my dealings with the so-called "The Fresh Food People".

And I haven't been back for a full grocery shop since.

Oh, I go in occasionally if there is something small I need, or something that I can't find at the other stores, but as far as I'm concerned, I will never do my weekly shopping there ever again.

I spend my "$200 a week on average" grocery shopping money elsewhere.

Anywhere but Safeway.

Not that they miss me or anything, and my piddly little amount of shopping money is just a drop in the bucket to them.

But it's a matter of principle with me... you know what I mean?

And the phone companies? Don't get me started there!

On second thought... too bad. lol !

Our national phone company, Telstra, decided last month that they would be adding a further $2 to every bill.... An additional charge, simply to PAY your phone bill.

I was less than impressed, let me tell you, and I got busy patting myself on the back, for opting years ago to use another company... AAPT.

The Old Guy's with Telstra though, so he decided that he would call up Telstra, ask why this was happening and then tell them that he would be switching phone companies.

To be honest, for a whole myriad of reasons... but basically because of their stand-over, rip-off, "we are never wrong, the customer is always wrong", tactics.

But then yesterday, I got my phone bill in the mail. I looked at the total and I was quite happy with it, considering the long phone calls I sometimes make... mobile (cell phone) calls, the bundling with my Internet connection and everything else.

I thought it was a pretty good phone bill at $105.00... and I was happy, ya know what I mean?

But when I read through it, down at the bottom were two new additional charges!!!

Non direct debit admin fee: $2.00

Printing of your monthly bill: $2.00

Rounding adjustments: -$0.02

This months charges: $3.98

Not happy Jan... Not happy at all.

But now that other phone company's are now following suit with Telstra, it's just a matter of time before the electricity and gas companies start doing the same thing.

The customer service here in Australia sucks... from the bad-attitude check-out chicks and managers in the grocery store, right down to major companies now charging you fees for the right to pay your bill.

This country could learn a thing or two about customer service from Costco ... let me tell you!

Okay, rant over.

At least we now have Costco!!

It's a start, eh'?